Timer



J. A. JESSEN.

TIMER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1. I920.

Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. JESSE-N, OF SANIOWICH, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 MCCULLOCH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

TIMER.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

Application filed December 1, 1920. Serial No. 427,484.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. JEssnN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sandwich, in.the county of Barnstable' and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Timers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable. others skilled in the art to which it appertains to gether with the contact faces forms a cir- -by a movable cular track which is enga contact roll or other mem r.

The object of the present invention is to improve timers of this character in such a manner that a lubricant is constantlysupplied to the circular track'without attention on the part of the operator for extended periods of .time.

With this object in view the several features of the invention consist in certain novel features of construction, combinations and arran ements' of parts herein-attendescribed an claimed,the advantages of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings illustrat ing the preferred form of the invention Fig. 1 represents a front elevation ofthe improved timer and Fig. 2 represents a section in elevation of the timer with the movable contact member removed.

p The timer shown in the illustrated embodime'nt of the invention com rises a sheet metal housin 10 having a iiusto-conical portion 11. he housing contains an. in sulating ring 13 of fiber or other material which is provided with 'a series of inset contact plates 14 (four innumber). Each of these contact plates is retained iniplace by a terminal screw 16 projecting outwardly through the housing and serving the dual wardly the fact that the grease which is thrown function of retaining the contact member in place and permitting connection with the usual lead wire. As will be observed from an inspection 'of the drawings, the inner surfaces of the contact plates are flush with the peripheral surface of the insulating ring to provide a smooth, unbroken circular track about which the contact member moves to alternately make and break the circuit at predetermined intervals. The movable contact member is mounted upon a rotary shaft 18 having an arm 20 secure'd thereto. The arm 20 is provided with a second arm 22 pivoted upon the outer end at 23 and carrying a contact member 24 which is held in yielding engagement with the circular track by means of a spring 25. It is desirable to provide means for constantly lubricating the surface of the track to minimize so far aspossible the wear incident to the engagement therewith of the movable contact member 24. It has been found that this may be accomplished satis-. factorily by packing a quantity of grease within the conical portion 11 of the housing 10. It is necessary however, that means be provided for retaining the grease within the ousing as otherwise it quickly works out of the housing and the circular track becomes dr from lack of lubrication. To this end t etubular portion 30 of the lionsing receives a retaining disk 31 havingan inturned flange 32 fitting closely within the housing and projecting inwardly into engagement with the ring 13, the latter being set inwardly a substantial distance from the outer edge of the housing. The retain. ing disk 31 is rovided with a circular opening 35 formed eccentrically therein to present a retaining flange at the lower portion of the housin of somewhat "reater width than the retamin flan e at t e'top of the housing. As wil be 0 served from an inspection of the drawings the retaining flange adjacent the lower portion of the housing projects above the surface of the circular track. With this construction it has been found that grease packed into the conical portion of the housing will remain for an indefinite period, the retaining flange permitting the grease to work down and around the surface of the circular track but preventing the grease from workin outfrom the .housing. This is us to outwardly from the surface of the track collects and is held in the space between the ring 13 and the retaining flange. In order to prevent the grease from working in behind the fiber ring, with a consequent softening and possible warping of the ring, a metal band 40 is interposed between the outer face of the ring and the housing, this band fitting closely within the housing and serving to prevent the lubricant from working in behind the ring. As will be observed the band is provided with inturned flanges 42 which grip the side faces of the ring, forming a tight joint between the band and the ring itself.

\Vhile it is preferred to employ the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, it will be understood that this construction and arrangement is not essential except so far as sp-e'cified in the claims, and may be changed or modified without departing from the broader features of the invention.

The invention having been describe'd, what is claimed is: V

1. A timer comprising a metal housing having a tubular portion and a frusto-conical portion, an insulating ring received within the housing, a metal band engaging with the outer surface of the ring and fitting closely within the housing, a series of contact plat-e's inset in the ring and presenting a smooth, circular track in conjunction with the surface of the ring, a movable contact member engaging with the circular track thus formed, and a retaining disk having an opening formed therein and fitting within the open end of the housing beyond the ring. 2. A timer comprising a metal housing, an insulating ring, a metal band engaging with the outer peripheral surface of the ring and fitting closely within the housing, a series'of contact plates inset within the surface of the ring and presenting a smooth, circular track in conjunction with the surface of the ring, a movable contact member engaging with the track thus formed, and aretaining disk having an opening formed eccentrically therein and provided with an inturned. flange fitting closely within the housing beyond the rin a JO l-IN A. JESSEN. 

